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Aspartame (Equal®, NutraSweet®)
Splenda (sucralose)
AminoSweet
High Fructose Corn Syrup
Advantame
Sweet’n’Low (saccharin)
Truvia
Natural sources of sugar like honey, maple syrup, fruit, and molasses add nutrients as well as sweetness. Relatively low on the glycemic index compared to refined sugars, they are not only safe to use but also promote well-being.
Furthermore, due to their nutritional value, they are more satisfying than refined sugars in satisfying the desire for sweetness, thus preventing overconsumption:
Honey (raw and unpasteurized): an anti-inflammatory, antifungal, antibacterial superfood, rich in nutrients and antioxidants.
Maple syrup: kills cancer cells; Rich in unique minerals, anti-inflammatories, antioxidants, and phytochemicals beneficial to human health.
Blackstrap molasses: Rich in minerals, including calcium, iron, potassium, selenium, and magnesium.
Fruit juice (real fruit juice with no added sugar): Rich in natural sugars but contains many vitamins and minerals.
How to recover from sugar addiction
If you’re addicted to sugar, there are ways to wean yourself off it. You’ll quickly notice the difference in how you feel.
Depending on how much added/artificial sugar you usually consume in a day and how long you’ve been doing it, you may even experience withdrawal symptoms. Like any other addiction, your body will react to the absence of sugar:
Anger/irritability
Anxiety/depression
Changes in appetite/food cravings
Dizziness
Fatigue
Headaches
Impulsive behaviors
Insomnia
Shaking
Weight loss
You can stop your excessive sugar consumption abruptly or more slowly, by making conscious food choices to eliminate the unhealthy substances. Stopping abruptly is more likely to cause noticeable withdrawal symptoms. It can take anywhere from a few days to a month to get through the withdrawal period.
To ease the discomfort of withdrawal, you can try:
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